


Clear Water

by EnOh



Series: Bug Fables Shorts [3]
Category: Bug Fables (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Headcanon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-23
Updated: 2020-11-23
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:21:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27681376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EnOh/pseuds/EnOh
Summary: Stratos and Delilah search for an answer to the greatest mystery of them all—how exactly did Eetl of all bugs become friends with the Royal Blade Maki?
Series: Bug Fables Shorts [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1689166
Kudos: 21





	Clear Water

**Author's Note:**

> This is just headcanons galore. 
> 
> I always found it interesting that Eetl is one of the few characters who calls Maki just ‘Maki’ while almost everyone else calls him ‘Sir’ (to his face anyway). Also, Eetl seemed to be pretty quick to call Maki out so I’m headcanoning that they’re friends.

Eetl looked up from the papers he had been sorting through when he heard the lumbering of heavy footsteps enter the Explorer's Assocation. Delilah approached him with what looked like laser honed focus and as usual, Stratos was close behind. 

Eetl raised a brow, “Hello Stratos, Delilah,” he greeted, curious about their uncharacteristic presence at the association, but he was a bug who believed in manners first, “Here to turn in a mission?”

Delilah scoffed almost as if she were offended at the prospect, “Of course not. We’re here on business,” before Eetl could say anything, she spoke again, “And we're in need of your help.”

Eetl tilted his head quizzically, “Me?”

“Yep, we have a few questions for you.”

“I’ll answer what I can, but I doubt I’ll be much help to you.” 

“Don’t sell yourself short, this is something _only_ you can help us with.”

Eetl suddenly had a bad feeling about this.

“So tell us,” she started, “How did you and Maki get to be on such good terms?”

He blinked, “What do you mean?” he had a vague sense of what they were asking, but couldn’t for the life of him understand why they _cared_.

“You really don’t think it’s weird for someone of your status to be so friendly with **the** Royal Blade Maki, who, for all intents and purposes, has never been close to anyone but the Queen and his own sister?”

Eetl was almost offended, “It’s not that weird.”

“The bugs around here talk about it a lot,” Stratos said and Eetl shook his head in confusion, honestly wondering why anyone would be so curious about such a trivial thing.

“Right,” Delilah agreed, “And we’re in the business of rumors, so here we are.”

He was still a little miffed about the earlier ‘someone of your status’ comment and wanted to retort something about how they’re _actually_ in the business of being explorers even though they certainly didn’t act it but he held his tongue, “I think everyone is making this into a bigger deal then it is. Maki is just a friend, that’s no—”

“Are you talking about Maki!?” Eri, who had just entered the front door, suddenly interjected with Gen walking beside her.

“Gen, Eri,” Stratos greeted. Gen waved a greeting but Eri was more set on hearing about Maki.

“You guys are talking about Maki right?”

“Yes, we want to know how Eetl and Maki became friends.”

Eri made a startled sort of noise, “Right!? It’s super weird, everyone talks about it!” Stratos gave Eetl a ‘see?’ look and Eetl was starting to feel the teensy bit annoyed that apparently, bugs couldn’t believe or understand why Maki would even associate with him.

He decided to shake off the feeling, “How…?” he echoed and looked up to think about it for a moment, “That’s probably because I saved his life once,” he mused aloud.

“ **What**!?” Eri and Gen shouted in unison.

Eetl winced, “Volume,” he chastised

“S-sorry.”

“Does that surprise you?” he asked.

“Uh, yeah!”

“I mean, you’re always…” Eri waved her hands in the air, motioning at the room, “Here. When would—”

“What happened!? You have to tell us!” Gen cut-in. Eri huffed, annoyed at being interrupted.

Eetl shook his head, “It’s not as interesting of a story as you’d think.”

“Tell us!”

Eetl sighed, "Fine," he cleared his throat and started, “This was long before he was the Royal Blade.”

“Wow, you’ve known him for a long time then,” Delilah pointed out.

He shrugged lightly before continuing, “Don’t get me wrong though, Maki was still very capable back then, he could take care of himself just fine but it just so happened that I stumbled across him when his supplies had run out after a particularly difficult mission. On his way back he had been ambushed by Jellyshrooms and poisoned as a result. I helped him fight them off and just so happened to have a Clear Water on me,” he finished the story and everyone was staring at him expectantly, “I told you it wasn’t very interesting,” he added.

“What!? No way! That’s…Actually pretty cool,” Eri nodded in agreement.

“If it wasn’t for you then there might not **be** a Maki!” Eri said with a newfound respect for the beetle.

“And that’s how you became friends,” Stratos asked, though it was more of a statement.

“Yes, I suppose.”

Seeming satisfied (for now), Delilah spoke up, “Well that answers that, thank you for your time Eetl,” Delilah waved goodbye and Stratos followed suit as she began to walk away.

Gen and Eri quickly turned in their mission report and hurried off to the next one. As they left the association and headed towards the Bugaria Outskirts, they failed to notice Maki, “I never would’ve thought Eetl was so…Cool,” Eri said aloud and Gen hummed in agreement.

Maki paused before entering the association, walking towards Eetl who spared him a tired look, “You seem to be quite popular these days,” he idly noted.

Eetl resisted the urge to roll his eyes, “Hardly. If you’re talking about Gen and Eri, they just wanted to know how we became friends so I told them about the time you were poisoned and I was merely passing by to help.”

“You didn’t tell them that you used to be an explorer?”

Eetl shook his head, “No, I’m quite done with exploring and I’m happy to work here, I don’t really need to drudge up the past, or else I’ll never hear the end of it.”

“Eetl, always so practical,” Maki said with mild amusement.

He huffed, “Someone around here has to be,” he gave Maki an almost accusatory look before stopping, “No, sorry,” he apologized, “That was inappropriate.”

“Well, we used to be on a team so I suppose you’d know,” Maki mused.

Eetl couldn’t _disagree_ but wasn’t going to insult Maki further by agreeing with him, “Still, you’re the Royal Blade now, so it’s hardly appropriate for me to treat you like a rookie anymore.”

“I don't think you could stop worrying about the bugs around you, Royal Blade or not, even if you tried."

Eetl sighed, thinking back to all the times he fretted about whether or not each conversation would be the last he would have with the explorers who passed through the association, Maki notwithstanding, "I suppose you're right."

"My offer always stands if you ever decide to become an explorer again."

Eetl shook his head again, "I appreciate it, but no thank you. I'm happy to guide young explorers here."

Maki smiled lightly, "It suits you."

Eetl smiled back, "Thank you."


End file.
